HHS OCR report ยท 2010
Merkle Direct Marketing data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Merkle Direct Marketing
- Entity type
- Business Associate
- State
- Maryland
- Individuals affected
- 15,000
- Submission date
- Jan 11, 2010
- Type of breach
- Theft
- Location of breached information
- Paper/Films
- Business associate present
- Yes
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
The covered entity's (CE) business associate (BA) mailed protected health information (PHI) of approximately 15,000 individuals to incorrect addresses due to an error in its quarterly address update process. The mailing contained demographic information, explanations of benefits, clinical information, and diagnoses. Upon discovery of the breach, the CE collected the returned mail and verified that it had not been delivered, and updated its HIPAA policies and procedures. Following OCR's inves...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Merkle Direct Marketing data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 15,000 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Jan 11, 2010.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Theft, with the breached information located in: Paper/Films.
Is the investigation still open?
No. The report is in the OCR portal archive, which holds reports where OCR has closed its review.
Is a breach notice letter from Merkle Direct Marketing legitimate?
This site cannot verify letters. Check the sender against the organisation's official website and the HHS OCR breach portal, and avoid calling numbers or clicking links only listed in an unexpected message. See our guide on what to do after a data breach notice.
Source: HHS OCR Breach Portal, OCR export October 2026. Network USA is not affiliated with HHS or Merkle Direct Marketing.